Spins
Great Lakes Myth Society reviewed
Great Lakes Myth Society Compass Rose Bouquet (Quack) Nobody’s complaining, but with the purging of the Old Town School vaults, a separate Folksongs Of Illinois collection, and Sufjan Stevens’ treatises on Illinois and Michigan, the region might be overexposed. Appearing: July 27th at Martyrs’ in Chicago.
Billy Bob Thornton reviewed
Billy Bob Thornton Beautiful Door (New Door) The actor’s fourth album in six years is yet another country-roots affair, the sound of a beat-up LTD cruising an empty highway.
Back Door Slam reviewed
Back Door Slam Roll Away (Blix Street) Close your eyes and pop in Roll Away — maybe reverse that order or you may be at it awhile — and you’ll hear a band sounding much older than it is (perhaps by 20 years). Appearing: July 20th at the World’s Largest Block Party at Old St. […]
Mirah reviewed
Mirah Share This Place: Stories And Observations (K) Mirah Zeitlyn remains traditional on her fifth album, in that she’s still with Calvin Johnson’s K Records and lists close-friend Phil Elverum in the liners. Yet her choice to go deep underground could startle even her closest Olympia-scene compatriots. Appearing: July 17th at Logan Square Auditorium in […]
The Aliens reviewed
The Aliens Astronomy For Dogs (Astralwerks) Despite the wonder contained on their first album (technically a compilation of EPs), The Beta Band can be viewed as a failure. By intentionally throwing fans off their scent, they were never able to refocus in time for people to really start caring again. Which makes Astralwerks’ decision to […]
Gogol Bordello reviewed
Gogol Bordello Super Taranta! (Side One Dummy) Gogol Bordello are to East-European folk what The Tossers are to Irish music, only now they’re caught in a time warp. Appearing: July 15th at Vic Theatre in Chicago.
Morningbell reviewed
Morningbell Through The Belly Of The Sea (self) Whether it’s the first of its kind can be left to the Talmuds. The fact is Morningbell’s third album connects back to those morbid books of yore: Choose Your Own Adventure.
Southerly reviewed
Southerly Storyteller & The Gossip Columnist (Greyday) Krist Kruger commandeers every aspect of his vision for his pseudonym’s second album, a peculiarily brief exercise in bombast. Appearing: June 25th at The Note in Chicago.
Manchester Orchestra reviewed
Manchester Orchestra I’m Like A Virgin Losing A Child (Favorite Gentlemen) Atlanta-born savant drops out to record, gets exalted indie rock plaudits, wears heart on sleeve — and isn’t Conor Oberst. Appearing: June 23rd at Metro in Chicago.
Tenderhooks reviewed
Tenderhooks Vidalia (Rock Snobs) Knoxville power pop experts Tenderhooks bop through the 10 songs on their debut with an eye fixed on Big Star.
A Band Of Bees reviewed
A Band Of Bees Octopus (Astralwerks) Generally when a record sounds “timeless” it really isn’t. “Classic” is a better word. Certain albums, take Octopus for instance, push the issue even further.
The Aggrolites reviewed
The Aggrolites Reggae Hit L.A. (Hellcat) Reggae has suffered in America because of the spector of Bob Marley and later the stereotyping of Caribbean music for tourism purposes. Its vastness has been dialed down to stoner music and lame island jams, and The Aggrolites aren’t gonna take it anymore.
The Pipettes’ EP reviewed
The Pipettes Your Kisses Are Wasted On Me (Cherrytree/Interscope) The toast of South By Southwest finally come to Chicago in support of this EP, the latest in the Brit-girl retro-soul revival. Appearing: June 7th at Empty Bottle in Chicago.
Transformers reissued!
Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Transformers: The Movie (Volcano/Legacy) This “20th Anniversary Special Edition” is not only meant to draw attention to last year’s DVD release of the movie, but to drum up support for the July 4th release of Steven Spielberg’s live-action film.
Keren Ann reviewed
Keren Ann Keren Ann (Blue Note) By her fifth album, Parisian by-way-of Israel (and Javanese/Dutch/Russian descent) Keren Ann Zeidel should arrive fully formed. Instead we get an all-English self-titled album (the preferred avenue for self-declaration) that jumps her conventions. Appearing: June 8th at Lakeshore Theater in Chicago.
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